Somali take on the visitors Eswatini in the first leg of the preliminary final round of Africa Cup of Nations qualification. The match will be played on Wednesday, February 20th.
Somalia demonstrates depressing statistics. "The Ocean Stars" represent a country that often doesn't prioritize football. Until the previous Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the national team didn't even start the qualifying matches since 1990. Although they did participate in World Cup qualifiers, they consistently performed poorly. In November, at the beginning of a new cycle, the team suffered a 1-3 defeat in Algeria and a 0-1 loss at home against Uganda. None of this came as a surprise, considering that in the last 11 matches, they faced ten defeats, with only a draw against Libya in October, which ended 0-0.
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Eswatini represent a country that was better known by its former name, Swaziland. However, whether under the old or new name, the team has struggled to make an impact. This is hardly surprising since the national team often consists entirely of players from local clubs like Green Mamba or Royal Leopards. Therefore, it's no wonder that there isn't much reason for pride. In the recent World Cup qualifying matches at home, they couldn't manage to win, score, or even draw against their opponents. Libya secured a 1-0 victory, while the more experienced Cape Verde scored two unanswered goals.
In 2022, the teams also faced each other in AFCON qualifiers. On that occasion, "The Shields" emerged victorious in both matches, essentially sealing the deal in the away fixtures. The situation hasn't changed dramatically over the past couple of years. We bet on the victory of the national team formerly known as Swaziland.
Prediction for the match: Eswaniti to win.
